Q: The devil was defeated at the "cross"...let the devil know "IT'S OVER"!!
A: One thing I hope people understand about Satan is that He is not as powerful as God, but rather, He aspires to "be like God." In many ways mankind is a temptation to Satan. Since He wants to be like God, he needs people to listen to him, people to instruct and even people to indwell, just like God. The oldest sermon in the world was first delivered by Satan when he told Eve to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and she would "be like God." This same message is repeated by Christians every day all around the globe. We try our best to be like God. We don't say it that way, we say things like we need to be more "Christlike." Well Jesus was God. Or we say we need to be "better Christians." This usually means we have to stop sinning. Well, Jesus was sinless and He is God, so the message is the same. Satan is a deceiver and when he gets us focused on trying to live a life in accordance to the knowledge of good and evil, he has us worshiping him rather than the true God.
The last words of Jesus prior to His death were "it is finished." Christians will often acknowledge that Jesus did for them what they could not do for themselves. But do they know what that means? The Law of God demands perfect obedience or death. Jesus Christ took both options. Jesus fulfilled the law, which we could not and cannot fulfill, by walking in perfect love. Then He took the penalty of death He did not deserve because we don't have a life to give that would satisfy God as payment for our sins. Jesus nailed the law to the cross, cancelling the written code which stood against us. Then He rose from the dead to offer the life of God, we lost in Adam, as a free gift to all who place faith in Him. It is over! God judged our sin. The verdict was guilty. The penalty was death. Jesus took that penalty. There is none left for us to take. All we can say is "Thank You" Jesus and live a life of thankfulness, resting from our self-righteous works as we learn to trust in and depend on God.
Q: James 4:7 says "submit" therefore to God and "resist" devil and he must "flee" ..What does that mean?
A: James 4 is a warning to believers not to chase after the things of this world like riches and wealth. Yet, how many Christians not only chase after the things of the world they promote it as though God promises it to us? As James clearly states love of the world causes fights and quarrels, killing and coveting, asking God for things to spend on ourselves, hatred towards God and causes the Holy Spirit to envy. The main reason we love the world is because we are seeking from it something we don't believe we have in our relationship with God. And the devil exploits that error. Satan gets us to think that our circumstances, whether we are rich or poor, healthy or sick, employed or jobless, married or divorced or whatever is a reflection of our worth in God's eyes. If we don't feel loved, accepted or have meaning and purpose to our lives from our relationship with the Lord, we seek it from the world through sin. We resist the devil through the knowledge of what we have in Christ.
Q: Why should we "confess" and meditate on God's word daily?
A: To confess means to "admit something is true." As Christians we first "confess" that Jesus is Lord and that God raised Him from the dead (Rom 10:9). We then "confess," or agree with God that He has "cleansed us of all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9)." This frees us to "continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess His name (Heb 13:15)." And when we allow ourselves to be witnesses of the Gospel of Jesus Christ it will be said that we made a "good confession in the presence of many witnesses (1 Tim 6:12)." In turn those who accept Christ will proclaim that anyone "who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness (2 Tim 2:19)." And as all believers fix our "thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess (Heb 3:1)," we can rest assured that "men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else (2 Cor 9:13)."
Q: What is God's "desire" for us?
A: God's desire, first and foremost, is that He doesn't want "anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Pet 3:9)." Then as believers God wants us to understand that "Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant (Heb 9:15)." In Christ, God changes our desires from those set on the flesh to a "desire to live honorably in every way (Heb 13:18)." This is all accomplished because God desired to have a relationship with us that He originally enjoyed with Adam and Eve in the Garden. Through the death of Jesus Christ and His offer of life through His resurrection, we now have God indwelling us for all eternity. The gift of salvation we have is not just eternal life. It is not just forgiveness of sins. The greatest gift we have from God is Himself. As Paul said "I no longer live, but Christ lives in me (Gal 2:20)."
Q: Don't be so heavenly "minded" that your no earthly good..What does that mean?
A: Religious people can be some of the meanest people you will ever want to meet. Most often it is because they haven't experienced the love of God because they believe His love and acceptance is conditional on their behavior. Therefore, they are living in fear and fear leads to anger. Furthermore, they can only share with others the laws they are under and not the love of God.... Also, one thing to remember with the woman caught in adultery is that she was guilty and deserving of death according to the Law. But, what most don't know is that the Jews who bought her to Jesus were guilty of breaking numerous laws as well. Therefore, the only option was to set a guilty woman free. A picture of the forgiveness we have in Christ. Just like the woman, we are guilty and deserving of death. But, we don't have a life to give that would satisfy God as payment for sin. That is why the substitutionary death of Jesus is once for all for eternity. We live in thankfulness to the One who set us free.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Saturday, August 29, 2009
The Tree of Life
Q: What was the purpose of the Tree of Life in the pre-Fall Eden? Does the Tree of Life still exist in a specific geographical location? As the Tree of Life has a function in the fulfilled Kingdom, will the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil also be present?
A: Not much is said about the existence of the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden before the Fall. It is clear that both it and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil existed in the Garden and were located in the middle of the Garden. "In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:9)." Other than the book of Revelation, the only other mention of the Tree of Life is in Genesis 3 where God says about Adam, "He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever (Genesis 3:22)." I always found this passage fascinating since it implies that if Adam had been able to eat of the Tree of Life before God banished him and Eve from the Garden, he may have been able to live forever. However, it is not clear if this form of eternal life would have been within the context of a fallen world or if the world would have been restored to its original state. We most likely will never know because before Adam had a chance to reach the Tree of Life God banished Adam and Eve from the Garden and "placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life (Genesis 3:24)."
I do not believe that the Tree of Life still exists in a geographical location somewhere in the world today. Nobody has ever known the location of the Garden of Eden much less where the Tree of Life was located. Besides, the world of today doesn't resemble the world during the time of Adam and Eve. When God sent the global flood, during the life of Noah, the Bible records that from the time the rain started until Noah's Ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat was about five months. During this time we read that "all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened (Genesis 7:11)." The results of which were that "all the high mountains under the entire heavens were covered (Genesis 7:19)" and the "waters rose and covered the mountains to a depth of more than twenty feet (Genesis 7:20)." Just think of the way in which the geography of the planet must have changed after a catastrophe of global proportions? We only need to look back five years to the Tsunami of 2004. I have read that the earthquake that started the tsunami was powerful enough to vibrate the entire planet 0.4 inches and caused earthquakes as far away as Alaska. Photographs after the tsunami even show how the geography of certain places was forever changed. Now, magnify that to the level of a global flood and you can imagine the changes the planet would undergo. The Garden of Eden and the Tree of Life would no longer be around after something so devastating.
The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil is not mentioned outside the book of Genesis other than in occasional references to the fruit that was eaten which led to the Fall. The Book of Revelation only mentions the Tree of Life as being a part of the Kingdom of God. And it makes sense that the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil would not be present in the future Kingdom. Jesus described heaven as a place "where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal (Matthew 6:20)." Isaiah prophesied that in the new heavens and new earth, "The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox... (Isaiah 65:25)" These are examples of a creation not stained by the effects of sin. And sin entered into the world only after Adam ate from the Tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil. For this tree to be a part of Heaven would be inconsistent with the idea of what heaven is supposed to be. I wouldn't call it Heaven if there was a chance that someone could eat the forbidden fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and allow sin to enter back into the world. We could not have anything resembling eternal life if that which caused death was still available for us to partake in.
Adam was prevented from eating from the Tree of Life. Yet, in the book of Revelation it describes that God will give us "the right to eat from the tree of life (Revelation 2:7)." Further on in the same book is says that believers "have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city (22:14)." In the book of Genesis we only read where Adam was prevented from accessing the Tree of Life after the Fall. We are never told if he had access to the Tree of Life prior to the Fall. Either way, it is clear that in the Heaven to come believers will have the opportunity to eat from the Tree of Life and there is no mention of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. This should serve as encouragement to the believer that they have access to God and all that He promises us because of our faith in Jesus Christ. God's promises are eternal and never change. Even though Adam's disobedience led to sin and death entering the world when he ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, we can be thankful that the obedience of Jesus Christ led to forgiveness, eternal life and access to the Tree of Life for all who place faith in Him.
A: Not much is said about the existence of the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden before the Fall. It is clear that both it and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil existed in the Garden and were located in the middle of the Garden. "In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:9)." Other than the book of Revelation, the only other mention of the Tree of Life is in Genesis 3 where God says about Adam, "He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever (Genesis 3:22)." I always found this passage fascinating since it implies that if Adam had been able to eat of the Tree of Life before God banished him and Eve from the Garden, he may have been able to live forever. However, it is not clear if this form of eternal life would have been within the context of a fallen world or if the world would have been restored to its original state. We most likely will never know because before Adam had a chance to reach the Tree of Life God banished Adam and Eve from the Garden and "placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life (Genesis 3:24)."
I do not believe that the Tree of Life still exists in a geographical location somewhere in the world today. Nobody has ever known the location of the Garden of Eden much less where the Tree of Life was located. Besides, the world of today doesn't resemble the world during the time of Adam and Eve. When God sent the global flood, during the life of Noah, the Bible records that from the time the rain started until Noah's Ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat was about five months. During this time we read that "all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened (Genesis 7:11)." The results of which were that "all the high mountains under the entire heavens were covered (Genesis 7:19)" and the "waters rose and covered the mountains to a depth of more than twenty feet (Genesis 7:20)." Just think of the way in which the geography of the planet must have changed after a catastrophe of global proportions? We only need to look back five years to the Tsunami of 2004. I have read that the earthquake that started the tsunami was powerful enough to vibrate the entire planet 0.4 inches and caused earthquakes as far away as Alaska. Photographs after the tsunami even show how the geography of certain places was forever changed. Now, magnify that to the level of a global flood and you can imagine the changes the planet would undergo. The Garden of Eden and the Tree of Life would no longer be around after something so devastating.
The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil is not mentioned outside the book of Genesis other than in occasional references to the fruit that was eaten which led to the Fall. The Book of Revelation only mentions the Tree of Life as being a part of the Kingdom of God. And it makes sense that the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil would not be present in the future Kingdom. Jesus described heaven as a place "where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal (Matthew 6:20)." Isaiah prophesied that in the new heavens and new earth, "The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox... (Isaiah 65:25)" These are examples of a creation not stained by the effects of sin. And sin entered into the world only after Adam ate from the Tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil. For this tree to be a part of Heaven would be inconsistent with the idea of what heaven is supposed to be. I wouldn't call it Heaven if there was a chance that someone could eat the forbidden fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and allow sin to enter back into the world. We could not have anything resembling eternal life if that which caused death was still available for us to partake in.
Adam was prevented from eating from the Tree of Life. Yet, in the book of Revelation it describes that God will give us "the right to eat from the tree of life (Revelation 2:7)." Further on in the same book is says that believers "have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city (22:14)." In the book of Genesis we only read where Adam was prevented from accessing the Tree of Life after the Fall. We are never told if he had access to the Tree of Life prior to the Fall. Either way, it is clear that in the Heaven to come believers will have the opportunity to eat from the Tree of Life and there is no mention of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. This should serve as encouragement to the believer that they have access to God and all that He promises us because of our faith in Jesus Christ. God's promises are eternal and never change. Even though Adam's disobedience led to sin and death entering the world when he ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, we can be thankful that the obedience of Jesus Christ led to forgiveness, eternal life and access to the Tree of Life for all who place faith in Him.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
The Week in Review
This past week has been filled with quite a few interesting observations and interactions. I have been involved in conversations about whether God strikes Christians with sickness in order to make them repent of sin. There was a commentary by a popular Christian pastor who said that God sent strong winds, which damaged a church and an event center, to punish a large denomination for its endorsement of homosexuality. And, finally, a conversation with a relative about the impact of faith on politics.
Nearly three years ago my mother was diagnosed with and, eventually, succumbed to cancer. Not once during her brief, but valiant, battle with the disease did she, I or anybody around her suggest that God sent her cancer in order to get her to "repent" of some sin in her life. Yet, I read a blog entry by a pastor who was a victim of cancer that he, obviously, survived. He wrote that his cancer was "a gentle but firm warning to me and all of us: Turn from every approval of sin in your life. Turn from the justification and promotion of any behaviors in your life that lead to destruction." In other words God punishes us with life threatening diseases to get us to turn from sin. However, scripture says that God was "reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them (2 Corinthians 5:19)." It also tells me that as Christians, God "did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:9)." If God doesn't remember our sins and did not appoint us to suffer wrath, why would he send cancer to get us to repent of sins? The fact is that a Christian turns from sin as a byproduct of trusting in and depending on God who is constantly reminding us of who we are in Christ and all we have in Him. The focus of God is not on our sin, but on reminding us that "you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God (1 Corinthians 6:11)."
Recently the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ECLA) decided to allow homosexuals to serve as clergy in their church. Without a doubt this is heretical and apostate. The Bible is clear that homosexuality is sinful and detestable in the eyes of God. For a so-called Christian church to not only condone it, but promote it, is indefensible. But, what disturbed me was when the same Christian pastor mentioned above said that a tornado that buzzed the ECLA convention was God's way of getting them to "Turn from the promotion of behaviors that lead to destruction." This basically says that God is blaming people's sin for natural disasters. As a Christian friend of mine once observed, "Why would God want to terrify people into submission?" I have already mentioned that God is not counting men's sins against them. The Bible also says that Jesus Christ is "the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world (1 John 2:2)." It defies logic for a God who doesn't remember the sins of the world to randomly decide to count the sins of a few people against them. Besides how can you tell people that God isn't counting their sins against them if He randomly makes exceptions? It not only doesn't make sense, it calls into question the truthfulness and authority of the Bible as well as the character of God.
One of the most difficult things for me to figure out is what raises its head every election cycle. So called Christians, who all claim to believe in the same God, have faith in the same Jesus and have allegiance to the same Bible, fall all over the place when it comes to who and what they support. I often wonder if our faith effects our politics or our politics effects our faith? The Bible says that there is "one Lord, one faith, one baptism (Ephesians 4:5)." One faith! If we just look at issues like abortion and homosexuality, you would think there would be no disagreement between Christians. The Bible says, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart (Jeremiah 1:5)." This is a clear passage describing that life begins at conception. Yet, there are Christians, like President Barack Obama, who says that determining when life begins is "above my pay grade" while supporting and promoting the agenda of the pro-abortionists. The Bible says that "If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable (Leviticus 20:13)." Yet, there are Christian denominations that ordain homosexuals as bishops and leaders within the church as well as those who defend it as being natural and biological. As Christians, we have to look at the world through Biblical eyes, not the other way around. Regardless of how we feel about issues like abortion or homosexuality, regardless of our personal experiences with each subject, we have to always come back to the authority of the Bible. And the Bible clearly says life begins at conception and homosexuality is a sin engaged in by choice. We must always turn to the truth of scripture and dependence on the Holy Spirit "until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:13)."
One of my favorite quotes is "Every theological heresy begins with a misconception of God." Christians more dependent on their own interpretations, trusting in the teachings of men or bowing to societal pressures have gotten themselves away from the truth of the Bible. Not understanding the basics of our faith has led to unbiblical conclusions like God arbitrarily striking people with sickness, randomly warning people of their sins with meteorological events or outright encouraging and condoning sinful choices. "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints (1 Corinthians 14:33)." If God is not the author of confusion then He is not behind the varying interpretations and applications of scripture we see above. Trust that He will lead us into all truth to the point that we have unity in the Body of Christ and can stop fighting ourselves, present a unified front and start reaching the world with the message of the Gospel.
Nearly three years ago my mother was diagnosed with and, eventually, succumbed to cancer. Not once during her brief, but valiant, battle with the disease did she, I or anybody around her suggest that God sent her cancer in order to get her to "repent" of some sin in her life. Yet, I read a blog entry by a pastor who was a victim of cancer that he, obviously, survived. He wrote that his cancer was "a gentle but firm warning to me and all of us: Turn from every approval of sin in your life. Turn from the justification and promotion of any behaviors in your life that lead to destruction." In other words God punishes us with life threatening diseases to get us to turn from sin. However, scripture says that God was "reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them (2 Corinthians 5:19)." It also tells me that as Christians, God "did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:9)." If God doesn't remember our sins and did not appoint us to suffer wrath, why would he send cancer to get us to repent of sins? The fact is that a Christian turns from sin as a byproduct of trusting in and depending on God who is constantly reminding us of who we are in Christ and all we have in Him. The focus of God is not on our sin, but on reminding us that "you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God (1 Corinthians 6:11)."
Recently the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ECLA) decided to allow homosexuals to serve as clergy in their church. Without a doubt this is heretical and apostate. The Bible is clear that homosexuality is sinful and detestable in the eyes of God. For a so-called Christian church to not only condone it, but promote it, is indefensible. But, what disturbed me was when the same Christian pastor mentioned above said that a tornado that buzzed the ECLA convention was God's way of getting them to "Turn from the promotion of behaviors that lead to destruction." This basically says that God is blaming people's sin for natural disasters. As a Christian friend of mine once observed, "Why would God want to terrify people into submission?" I have already mentioned that God is not counting men's sins against them. The Bible also says that Jesus Christ is "the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world (1 John 2:2)." It defies logic for a God who doesn't remember the sins of the world to randomly decide to count the sins of a few people against them. Besides how can you tell people that God isn't counting their sins against them if He randomly makes exceptions? It not only doesn't make sense, it calls into question the truthfulness and authority of the Bible as well as the character of God.
One of the most difficult things for me to figure out is what raises its head every election cycle. So called Christians, who all claim to believe in the same God, have faith in the same Jesus and have allegiance to the same Bible, fall all over the place when it comes to who and what they support. I often wonder if our faith effects our politics or our politics effects our faith? The Bible says that there is "one Lord, one faith, one baptism (Ephesians 4:5)." One faith! If we just look at issues like abortion and homosexuality, you would think there would be no disagreement between Christians. The Bible says, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart (Jeremiah 1:5)." This is a clear passage describing that life begins at conception. Yet, there are Christians, like President Barack Obama, who says that determining when life begins is "above my pay grade" while supporting and promoting the agenda of the pro-abortionists. The Bible says that "If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable (Leviticus 20:13)." Yet, there are Christian denominations that ordain homosexuals as bishops and leaders within the church as well as those who defend it as being natural and biological. As Christians, we have to look at the world through Biblical eyes, not the other way around. Regardless of how we feel about issues like abortion or homosexuality, regardless of our personal experiences with each subject, we have to always come back to the authority of the Bible. And the Bible clearly says life begins at conception and homosexuality is a sin engaged in by choice. We must always turn to the truth of scripture and dependence on the Holy Spirit "until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:13)."
One of my favorite quotes is "Every theological heresy begins with a misconception of God." Christians more dependent on their own interpretations, trusting in the teachings of men or bowing to societal pressures have gotten themselves away from the truth of the Bible. Not understanding the basics of our faith has led to unbiblical conclusions like God arbitrarily striking people with sickness, randomly warning people of their sins with meteorological events or outright encouraging and condoning sinful choices. "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints (1 Corinthians 14:33)." If God is not the author of confusion then He is not behind the varying interpretations and applications of scripture we see above. Trust that He will lead us into all truth to the point that we have unity in the Body of Christ and can stop fighting ourselves, present a unified front and start reaching the world with the message of the Gospel.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Rooming with Sin
Q: I`m a straight Christian male in college, engaged to a wonderful Christian woman, and about to start my Senior year. I just found out that my roommate for this semester is homosexual. However, he is apparently a strong Catholic, and does not practice his homosexuality-- while he is attracted to men, he does not date men, engage in any romantic acts, or entertain those thoughts. However, I still feel uncomfortable. I feel the situation is similar to if my roommate were a woman-- even though I`m committed to marriage and monogamy and whatnot, it would still be unwise to live with someone of the female gender, in close quarters (the same room, though different beds). Thoughts? I really need some advice from fellow Christians on this. Thanks!
A: That is a troubling situation you find yourself involved in. The first thing that stands out in your question is that you identify yourself as a "straight" Christian male. Your identity should not be found in your sexual preference. If you are born again of the Spirit of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, you are a child of God. As John 1:12 says, "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." It is the same way with your roommate. If he is not a "practicing" homosexual who does not date men, does not engage in homosexual activity or entertain those thoughts, why does he call himself a homosexual? After all, our behavior is usually consistent with who we believe ourselves to be. A true Christian doesn't engage in homosexual behavior because it is not consistent with who they are in Christ. My initial advice to you is to request a different roommate, although, I know there may be some sore feelings that develop from doing so. You run the risk of tormenting yourself by your close, and constant, proximity to someone who is trapped in sin.
Although it is not quite the same situation, take a queue from scripture when it talks about the experience of Lot when he lived in Sodom. 2 Peter 2:8 says, "for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard.." Do you, a righteous man because of your faith in Christ, want to be tormented by the lawless deeds you see and hear your roommate engaging in? I know I wouldn't want to be in that situation. The Bible instructs us to "Abstain from all appearance of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22)." You don't want to give the appearance that you condone the homosexual lifestyle by choosing to remain roommates with this young man. If I were you I would have a difficult time being a roommate with someone who identifies themselves with such a detestable sin as homosexuality. Perhaps, you might have an opportunity to witness to your roommate and bring them to faith in Christ. However, your attempts to witness, whether they are received well or not, could lead to many uncomfortable moments with your roommate. This is something to consider should you decide to remain roommates and one more reason why requesting a new roommate might be the best solution to your problem.
Furthermore, as a college student in your Senior year, you need to be focusing on your education to ensure that you graduate on time. Having a roommate engaged in homosexual behavior and the accompanying beliefs and associations that come with it can only serve to be a distraction when it comes to your academic pursuits. You mentioned your situation being similar to you living with a woman. In your present situation you, in many ways, can be a temptation to your roommate. How would you react if you are approached romantically by your roommate? Why continue to put yourself at risk? The Bible says to "flee sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 6:18)" and to "not become a stumbling block to the weak (1 Corinthians 8:9)." Maybe your friend's ability to abstain from practicing homosexuality is a sign that he knows it is wrong. However, your removing yourself from the situation not only helps you avoid giving the appearance of condoning sin, falling into sin, being a stumbling block to someone trapped in sin, but also may be a powerful witness to your roommate as he recognizes you're uncomfortable with his lifestyle choice.
The Bible talks about homosexuality in no uncertain terms. The act of homosexuality is detestable to God. "Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable (Leviticus 18:22)." Homosexuality is an unnatural use of the body. "In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another (Romans 1:27)." Those who practice homosexuality will not inherit the Kingdom of God. "Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)." Your roommates identification as a homosexual tells me that he does not have a saving relationship with Jesus Christ, regardless of his strong ties to Catholicism. Thankfully, his sin is not being counted against him because of the death of Jesus Christ. However, he has a bigger problem than his sin. His sin is strong evidence that he is spiritually dead to God and in need of the life of Christ. In other words, he needs to be born again.
Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again (John 3:3)." In my opinion, your roommate is trying to fill the void in his heart, his spiritual death, through sexual sin. That void in his heart can only be filled by Jesus Christ. Like all mankind, your friend was born into this world dead to God, but alive to the world. God desires to have a relationship with him, but before he can your roommate must realize the futility of engaging in homosexuality. He is basically telling God He was wrong when He created Adam and Eve for each other by engaging in homosexuality. The best one could hope is for your roommate to come to the end of himself by becoming so disgusted with his lifestyle that his only alternative is to turn to Christ and receive forgiveness and spiritual life through faith in Him. Whether that ever happens is between him and the Lord. However, I would suggest you remove yourself from the situation. In most cases you will only corrupt yourself in some way by subjecting yourself to his sin. If he asks you why you want a new roommate then I suggest you respond to him in the spirit of 1 Peter 3:15-16:
"Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander."
I trust God will be able to use my words to help you find an answer to what to do in your situation. May He continue to reveal to you all that you already have been given through faith in Jesus Christ.
A: That is a troubling situation you find yourself involved in. The first thing that stands out in your question is that you identify yourself as a "straight" Christian male. Your identity should not be found in your sexual preference. If you are born again of the Spirit of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, you are a child of God. As John 1:12 says, "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." It is the same way with your roommate. If he is not a "practicing" homosexual who does not date men, does not engage in homosexual activity or entertain those thoughts, why does he call himself a homosexual? After all, our behavior is usually consistent with who we believe ourselves to be. A true Christian doesn't engage in homosexual behavior because it is not consistent with who they are in Christ. My initial advice to you is to request a different roommate, although, I know there may be some sore feelings that develop from doing so. You run the risk of tormenting yourself by your close, and constant, proximity to someone who is trapped in sin.
Although it is not quite the same situation, take a queue from scripture when it talks about the experience of Lot when he lived in Sodom. 2 Peter 2:8 says, "for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard.." Do you, a righteous man because of your faith in Christ, want to be tormented by the lawless deeds you see and hear your roommate engaging in? I know I wouldn't want to be in that situation. The Bible instructs us to "Abstain from all appearance of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22)." You don't want to give the appearance that you condone the homosexual lifestyle by choosing to remain roommates with this young man. If I were you I would have a difficult time being a roommate with someone who identifies themselves with such a detestable sin as homosexuality. Perhaps, you might have an opportunity to witness to your roommate and bring them to faith in Christ. However, your attempts to witness, whether they are received well or not, could lead to many uncomfortable moments with your roommate. This is something to consider should you decide to remain roommates and one more reason why requesting a new roommate might be the best solution to your problem.
Furthermore, as a college student in your Senior year, you need to be focusing on your education to ensure that you graduate on time. Having a roommate engaged in homosexual behavior and the accompanying beliefs and associations that come with it can only serve to be a distraction when it comes to your academic pursuits. You mentioned your situation being similar to you living with a woman. In your present situation you, in many ways, can be a temptation to your roommate. How would you react if you are approached romantically by your roommate? Why continue to put yourself at risk? The Bible says to "flee sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 6:18)" and to "not become a stumbling block to the weak (1 Corinthians 8:9)." Maybe your friend's ability to abstain from practicing homosexuality is a sign that he knows it is wrong. However, your removing yourself from the situation not only helps you avoid giving the appearance of condoning sin, falling into sin, being a stumbling block to someone trapped in sin, but also may be a powerful witness to your roommate as he recognizes you're uncomfortable with his lifestyle choice.
The Bible talks about homosexuality in no uncertain terms. The act of homosexuality is detestable to God. "Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable (Leviticus 18:22)." Homosexuality is an unnatural use of the body. "In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another (Romans 1:27)." Those who practice homosexuality will not inherit the Kingdom of God. "Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)." Your roommates identification as a homosexual tells me that he does not have a saving relationship with Jesus Christ, regardless of his strong ties to Catholicism. Thankfully, his sin is not being counted against him because of the death of Jesus Christ. However, he has a bigger problem than his sin. His sin is strong evidence that he is spiritually dead to God and in need of the life of Christ. In other words, he needs to be born again.
Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again (John 3:3)." In my opinion, your roommate is trying to fill the void in his heart, his spiritual death, through sexual sin. That void in his heart can only be filled by Jesus Christ. Like all mankind, your friend was born into this world dead to God, but alive to the world. God desires to have a relationship with him, but before he can your roommate must realize the futility of engaging in homosexuality. He is basically telling God He was wrong when He created Adam and Eve for each other by engaging in homosexuality. The best one could hope is for your roommate to come to the end of himself by becoming so disgusted with his lifestyle that his only alternative is to turn to Christ and receive forgiveness and spiritual life through faith in Him. Whether that ever happens is between him and the Lord. However, I would suggest you remove yourself from the situation. In most cases you will only corrupt yourself in some way by subjecting yourself to his sin. If he asks you why you want a new roommate then I suggest you respond to him in the spirit of 1 Peter 3:15-16:
"Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander."
I trust God will be able to use my words to help you find an answer to what to do in your situation. May He continue to reveal to you all that you already have been given through faith in Jesus Christ.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
My Answer Is ... August 22, 2009
Q: Do you understand the magnitude of what Jesus did “For you”? Check out the video on my face book page and when you see it “thank” Him for what He did “For You”…
A: The dividing line of human history, from man's perspective is the birth of Christ (B.C.). However, from God's perspective the dividing line is His death on the Cross. Before Christ's death man could only atone for his sin through sacrifices and offerings. However, when Jesus died, God was propitiated, totally satisfied with His eternal sacrifice. Now, there is no sin standing between man and God. The sin issue is over! No more asking forgiveness. No more confession booths. No more altar calls to rededicate ourselves. No more repetitive prayers. As Jesus said, "It is finished (Jn 19:30)." The cross was the only time we were forgiven of all our sins. The cross was the only time we were cleansed of all our unrighteousness. "Christ died for sins ONCE FOR ALL, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God (1 Ptr 3:18)." Our choice is to accept what He did for us once and for all or continue to ask Him to do what He already did. Which is a response of faith? Thank you Jesus!
Q: "WHY ASK WHY"...If I ask God "why", does that mean I have no faith?
A: Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome (Gen 32:28)." God named the nation of Israel after their struggles with Him. You can't have struggles with someone, in this case God, unless you are asking Him "Why?" The Bible is full of man questioning God in his search to learn his place in God's world. The Old Testament full of man's failure and God's faithfulness. Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Job, Samson and others all questioned God, but were commended for their faith. The disciples did the same thing with Jesus. Asking "why" leads to answers which leads to faith. And it isn't that we have a big faith, but have big God. We learn to trust in Him through asking Him questions. It is what He expects and wants so He can reveal Himself to us.
Q: What does it mean to walk in "Godliness"?
A: It means to live a life of trust and dependence on the indwelling Holy Spirit. Titus 2:11-12, says the grace of God teaches us to say ""No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.." The Holy Spirit reminds us of who we are in God's eyes and all that we have been given by Him through faith in Christ. Mankind was not designed to live in obedience to laws designed to control our flesh. We were designed to be indwelt by God and let Him lead us from within. The grace of God is the presence of His love in the midst of, and despite of, sin. It is understanding that we are already right in God's eyes not because of what we do, but because of who we are. The changed heart we have experienced will ultimately lead to a change in our behavior not vice versa. Instead of living a life of obeying good and repenting of evil, we are guided by God who teaches us to walk in love. And when we walk in love we're not going to sin.
Q: The bible says iron sharpens iron so one man sharpens another..What does that mean?
A: Iron sharpening iron is a way in which to get a blade which has lost its edge sharp again. Blades, in terms of knives and swords, need to be sharp in order to cut and penetrate. Scripture says that the Word of God is "sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart (Heb 4:12)." Christians have Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, indwelling them. We are His "blade" to be used to penetrate the world with the truth of the Gospel. Christians sharpen ourselves through fellowship, study and prayer. This can be done in various ways. I do it through answering Chris' question everyday, through moderating an online fellowship, through my blogs and through weekly Bible Study with other Christians. We do it to keep ourselves from getting dull and to "prepare God's people for works of service (Eph 4:12)." And the "work of God is this: to believe in the One he has sent (Jn 6:29)."
In response to Christian "accountability groups":
We do need each other. However, my greatest period of growth occurred after I left the fellowship I attended after being saved because of the error being taught. One of the greatest mistakes made within the Body of Christ is the assumption that the church we attend, the pastor we sit under or those we fellowship with are teaching, believing and walking in, the truth. We all have the Holy Spirit indwelling us and are in fellowship with God because of His faithfulness, not ours. In order to be accountable to others we must have standards in which to be accountable to and, therefore, we risk focusing on our behavior rather than on our trust and dependence in the Lord. We can't have unity within the Body unless we have agreement. And that is where iron sharpening iron comes into play; believers decreasing and allowing themselves to be taught by the Holy Spirit and being led into all truth. Only then can we have true fellowship and grow in our relationship with each other and the Lord.
Q: What does it mean to have the "keys" to the kingdom of God?
A: Jesus referred to Himself as the "narrow door" and that "Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Sir, open the door for us (Lk 13:25).'" The 'keys' Peter was given was that the Gospel was opened to everyone, Jew and Gentile alike. The Gospel first came to the Jews, who rejected it. Now it was available to the Gentiles who "are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens (Eph 2:19)." Peter appeared to use those "keys" on the Day of Pentecost when he proclaimed "The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call (Acts 2:39)." The call of the Lord is "Come to me, ALL you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest (Mt 11:28)." The door to salvation has been unlocked for everyone because of Christ's death, burial and resurrection. However, that door could be locked at any moment. Remember "now is the day of salvation (2 Cor 6:2)."
A: The dividing line of human history, from man's perspective is the birth of Christ (B.C.). However, from God's perspective the dividing line is His death on the Cross. Before Christ's death man could only atone for his sin through sacrifices and offerings. However, when Jesus died, God was propitiated, totally satisfied with His eternal sacrifice. Now, there is no sin standing between man and God. The sin issue is over! No more asking forgiveness. No more confession booths. No more altar calls to rededicate ourselves. No more repetitive prayers. As Jesus said, "It is finished (Jn 19:30)." The cross was the only time we were forgiven of all our sins. The cross was the only time we were cleansed of all our unrighteousness. "Christ died for sins ONCE FOR ALL, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God (1 Ptr 3:18)." Our choice is to accept what He did for us once and for all or continue to ask Him to do what He already did. Which is a response of faith? Thank you Jesus!
Q: "WHY ASK WHY"...If I ask God "why", does that mean I have no faith?
A: Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome (Gen 32:28)." God named the nation of Israel after their struggles with Him. You can't have struggles with someone, in this case God, unless you are asking Him "Why?" The Bible is full of man questioning God in his search to learn his place in God's world. The Old Testament full of man's failure and God's faithfulness. Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Job, Samson and others all questioned God, but were commended for their faith. The disciples did the same thing with Jesus. Asking "why" leads to answers which leads to faith. And it isn't that we have a big faith, but have big God. We learn to trust in Him through asking Him questions. It is what He expects and wants so He can reveal Himself to us.
Q: What does it mean to walk in "Godliness"?
A: It means to live a life of trust and dependence on the indwelling Holy Spirit. Titus 2:11-12, says the grace of God teaches us to say ""No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.." The Holy Spirit reminds us of who we are in God's eyes and all that we have been given by Him through faith in Christ. Mankind was not designed to live in obedience to laws designed to control our flesh. We were designed to be indwelt by God and let Him lead us from within. The grace of God is the presence of His love in the midst of, and despite of, sin. It is understanding that we are already right in God's eyes not because of what we do, but because of who we are. The changed heart we have experienced will ultimately lead to a change in our behavior not vice versa. Instead of living a life of obeying good and repenting of evil, we are guided by God who teaches us to walk in love. And when we walk in love we're not going to sin.
Q: The bible says iron sharpens iron so one man sharpens another..What does that mean?
A: Iron sharpening iron is a way in which to get a blade which has lost its edge sharp again. Blades, in terms of knives and swords, need to be sharp in order to cut and penetrate. Scripture says that the Word of God is "sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart (Heb 4:12)." Christians have Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, indwelling them. We are His "blade" to be used to penetrate the world with the truth of the Gospel. Christians sharpen ourselves through fellowship, study and prayer. This can be done in various ways. I do it through answering Chris' question everyday, through moderating an online fellowship, through my blogs and through weekly Bible Study with other Christians. We do it to keep ourselves from getting dull and to "prepare God's people for works of service (Eph 4:12)." And the "work of God is this: to believe in the One he has sent (Jn 6:29)."
In response to Christian "accountability groups":
We do need each other. However, my greatest period of growth occurred after I left the fellowship I attended after being saved because of the error being taught. One of the greatest mistakes made within the Body of Christ is the assumption that the church we attend, the pastor we sit under or those we fellowship with are teaching, believing and walking in, the truth. We all have the Holy Spirit indwelling us and are in fellowship with God because of His faithfulness, not ours. In order to be accountable to others we must have standards in which to be accountable to and, therefore, we risk focusing on our behavior rather than on our trust and dependence in the Lord. We can't have unity within the Body unless we have agreement. And that is where iron sharpening iron comes into play; believers decreasing and allowing themselves to be taught by the Holy Spirit and being led into all truth. Only then can we have true fellowship and grow in our relationship with each other and the Lord.
Q: What does it mean to have the "keys" to the kingdom of God?
A: Jesus referred to Himself as the "narrow door" and that "Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Sir, open the door for us (Lk 13:25).'" The 'keys' Peter was given was that the Gospel was opened to everyone, Jew and Gentile alike. The Gospel first came to the Jews, who rejected it. Now it was available to the Gentiles who "are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens (Eph 2:19)." Peter appeared to use those "keys" on the Day of Pentecost when he proclaimed "The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call (Acts 2:39)." The call of the Lord is "Come to me, ALL you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest (Mt 11:28)." The door to salvation has been unlocked for everyone because of Christ's death, burial and resurrection. However, that door could be locked at any moment. Remember "now is the day of salvation (2 Cor 6:2)."
Friday, August 21, 2009
The Currency of Christ
Q: The church in Laodicea was advised to “buy gold tested in the fire…and white raiment…” (Rev. 3:18) What is the medium of exchange when dealing with Christ?
A: The medium of exchange, if there is such a thing, when dealing with Christ is rest. We are encouraged to rest from our own self-efforts of trying to live the Christian life in the energy of our own flesh.
“There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.” Hebrews 4:9-11
The author of Hebrews tells us to make every effort to enter the Sabbath rest. A Christian must check their own motives in what they are doing. Are the activities you engage in on a daily and weekly basis motivated by trying to please God in hopes of obtaining something from Him or keeping something you have received? If so, you are not resting and being disobedient.
“You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.” Galatians 5:4
When you fall from something, you have to fall to something. The Apostle Paul is talking about falling from grace back to works. Again, if you are focused on living by rules designed to modify your behavior or “live” the Christian life you are not trusting in, and depending on, the indwelling Holy Spirit. You are not resting.
“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” 2 Peter 1:3
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” Ephesians 1:3
If, as Christians, we have been given everything we need for life and godliness, and been blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ, what else is there for us to get from the Lord? Nothing. God gave us all these things so that we would not try and get those things from any other source whether religiously or from the world. The byproduct should be that we rest from our own efforts so that God can freely work in us to do the works He prepared in advance for us to do.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
Jesus called us to Himself promising rest. He says that His yoke is light. Yet, many Christians refuse His rest and try to carry their burden themselves. The only way to do this is by putting ourselves back under the yoke of slavery. That yoke of slavery is the Law. It might be the Mosaic Law, but it most assuredly is the laws of denominations. And every denomination can be defined by the laws they impose on their congregation. The laws are designed to help us live the Christian life. But, in reality, those who subject themselves to them are only dedicating themselves to trying to live a life they can’t possibly live.
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20
Christ died for you so that raised from the dead He could live His life through you. Jesus is the only one who ever lived the Christian life. Now, He wants to live that life through you. All He asks of us to allow Him to do it. And we do that by resting. It is the only “currency” we have to exchange.
A: The medium of exchange, if there is such a thing, when dealing with Christ is rest. We are encouraged to rest from our own self-efforts of trying to live the Christian life in the energy of our own flesh.
“There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.” Hebrews 4:9-11
The author of Hebrews tells us to make every effort to enter the Sabbath rest. A Christian must check their own motives in what they are doing. Are the activities you engage in on a daily and weekly basis motivated by trying to please God in hopes of obtaining something from Him or keeping something you have received? If so, you are not resting and being disobedient.
“You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.” Galatians 5:4
When you fall from something, you have to fall to something. The Apostle Paul is talking about falling from grace back to works. Again, if you are focused on living by rules designed to modify your behavior or “live” the Christian life you are not trusting in, and depending on, the indwelling Holy Spirit. You are not resting.
“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” 2 Peter 1:3
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” Ephesians 1:3
If, as Christians, we have been given everything we need for life and godliness, and been blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ, what else is there for us to get from the Lord? Nothing. God gave us all these things so that we would not try and get those things from any other source whether religiously or from the world. The byproduct should be that we rest from our own efforts so that God can freely work in us to do the works He prepared in advance for us to do.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
Jesus called us to Himself promising rest. He says that His yoke is light. Yet, many Christians refuse His rest and try to carry their burden themselves. The only way to do this is by putting ourselves back under the yoke of slavery. That yoke of slavery is the Law. It might be the Mosaic Law, but it most assuredly is the laws of denominations. And every denomination can be defined by the laws they impose on their congregation. The laws are designed to help us live the Christian life. But, in reality, those who subject themselves to them are only dedicating themselves to trying to live a life they can’t possibly live.
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20
Christ died for you so that raised from the dead He could live His life through you. Jesus is the only one who ever lived the Christian life. Now, He wants to live that life through you. All He asks of us to allow Him to do it. And we do that by resting. It is the only “currency” we have to exchange.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Debt or Fellowship?
Q: If a person is considering taking on another job (part time) to pay down some debt, but at the cost of giving up time in fellowship (example: The men`s ministry), what does the bible say for me to do?
A: You won't find an exact verse that will say exactly what to do in your situation. However, the Bible does say that "The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender (Proverbs 22:7)." Just think how being in debt makes you feel. There is always that worry about if you will be able to pay the debt off. What if I lose my job? What if I experience a reduction in pay? What if I get sick or injured and can't work? What will I do if an unexpected expense arises? These and many more concerns arise when we are in debt. Then add to that all the problems that arise when we begin to fall behind on payments of our debts. The threat of having our property repossessed or foreclosed on. The harassing phone calls. The damage to our credit and our reputation. The strain that is put on our family as they begin to see the things you work so hard for begin to unravel. You are totally under the control of the lender because of the debt you owe them.
Furthermore, just think of the possible temptations you will be subject to as you try and pay off your debt. "Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs (1Timothy 6:10)." When you are falling behind in paying your bills temptations to do things in order to find a quick fix to your dilemma start popping up. Perhaps you are tempted to start gambling or playing the lottery. All of a sudden the allure of some of the "get-rich-quick" business opportunities becomes harder to ignore. And, heaven forbid, the temptation to do something illegal to make money seems like the only option. Now, I know I have painted a gloomy scenario that you are probably nowhere near experiencing. I just wanted to reveal to you how ignoring your debts can snowball. My advice is for you to take the part time job and pay off your debt. Granted your time in fellowship with fellow Christians may suffer, but think of how much more time you will have for fellowship when your debt is reduced significantly or paid in full!
From a spiritual context think about what Jesus said when He died on the cross to pay for your sins. "When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and released his spirit (John 19:30)." The words He spoke can also be translated "paid in full." The debt you owed God for your sins is death. How does it make you feel to know that your debt to God has been paid in full? If you're like me your are totally relieved and thankful. The debt you owe your creditors most likely doesn't require your death, but not being able to pay your debts can sure make you feel like dying. Take the job and trust that those you spend time with in fellowship will understand. If they are your friends they not only should understand your circumstances, but they might be able to assist in some way to pay your debts. The Bible tells believers to "strengthen your brothers (Luke 22:32)," to "spur one another on toward love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24)" and to keep "on loving each other as brothers (Hebrews 13:1)." They should understand your situation and support you as much as they can.
Finally, the Bible says that a man "must be one who manages his own household well (1 Timothy 3:4) and "must have a good reputation with those outside the church (1 Timothy 3:7)." While these are instructions given for those desiring to be deacons, I believe they can be applied to husbands in general. If your household falls pray to the consequences of unpaid debt it will not reflect well on you as someone who is managing their household well. And needless to say your reputation with those outside the church, your creditors, will not be good. By working that part time job and paying off your debt you are doing what God requires of you to do. You are taking care of your family as well as protecting the reputation of you and them. The peace of mind, increased income and time you will obtain from cancelling a debt will allow you to devote more of your time, treasure and talent to the things of the Lord. And no doubt you will have fresh and relevant examples of God's faithfulness and love in the midst of you dealing with your debt. I hope this helps you in your decision. Be blessed.
A: You won't find an exact verse that will say exactly what to do in your situation. However, the Bible does say that "The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender (Proverbs 22:7)." Just think how being in debt makes you feel. There is always that worry about if you will be able to pay the debt off. What if I lose my job? What if I experience a reduction in pay? What if I get sick or injured and can't work? What will I do if an unexpected expense arises? These and many more concerns arise when we are in debt. Then add to that all the problems that arise when we begin to fall behind on payments of our debts. The threat of having our property repossessed or foreclosed on. The harassing phone calls. The damage to our credit and our reputation. The strain that is put on our family as they begin to see the things you work so hard for begin to unravel. You are totally under the control of the lender because of the debt you owe them.
Furthermore, just think of the possible temptations you will be subject to as you try and pay off your debt. "Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs (1Timothy 6:10)." When you are falling behind in paying your bills temptations to do things in order to find a quick fix to your dilemma start popping up. Perhaps you are tempted to start gambling or playing the lottery. All of a sudden the allure of some of the "get-rich-quick" business opportunities becomes harder to ignore. And, heaven forbid, the temptation to do something illegal to make money seems like the only option. Now, I know I have painted a gloomy scenario that you are probably nowhere near experiencing. I just wanted to reveal to you how ignoring your debts can snowball. My advice is for you to take the part time job and pay off your debt. Granted your time in fellowship with fellow Christians may suffer, but think of how much more time you will have for fellowship when your debt is reduced significantly or paid in full!
From a spiritual context think about what Jesus said when He died on the cross to pay for your sins. "When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and released his spirit (John 19:30)." The words He spoke can also be translated "paid in full." The debt you owed God for your sins is death. How does it make you feel to know that your debt to God has been paid in full? If you're like me your are totally relieved and thankful. The debt you owe your creditors most likely doesn't require your death, but not being able to pay your debts can sure make you feel like dying. Take the job and trust that those you spend time with in fellowship will understand. If they are your friends they not only should understand your circumstances, but they might be able to assist in some way to pay your debts. The Bible tells believers to "strengthen your brothers (Luke 22:32)," to "spur one another on toward love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24)" and to keep "on loving each other as brothers (Hebrews 13:1)." They should understand your situation and support you as much as they can.
Finally, the Bible says that a man "must be one who manages his own household well (1 Timothy 3:4) and "must have a good reputation with those outside the church (1 Timothy 3:7)." While these are instructions given for those desiring to be deacons, I believe they can be applied to husbands in general. If your household falls pray to the consequences of unpaid debt it will not reflect well on you as someone who is managing their household well. And needless to say your reputation with those outside the church, your creditors, will not be good. By working that part time job and paying off your debt you are doing what God requires of you to do. You are taking care of your family as well as protecting the reputation of you and them. The peace of mind, increased income and time you will obtain from cancelling a debt will allow you to devote more of your time, treasure and talent to the things of the Lord. And no doubt you will have fresh and relevant examples of God's faithfulness and love in the midst of you dealing with your debt. I hope this helps you in your decision. Be blessed.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Never Disowned
In his letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul writes, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will...(Ephesians 1:3-5)." When I read this I take note of Paul's use of the word adopted to describe believers inclusion in the Body of Christ. Being adopted often times carries a negative stigma with it. I can remember my brothers and sisters joking with me about being "adopted" by my parents as a way to make me feel as though I wasn't really a part of the family. I can only imagine how those types of stereotypes haunt truly adopted children. Many adopted children come from terrible family backgrounds or no background at all. A lot of them grow up without ever being adopted by a loving family, thus missing out on an important part of their childhood. It wouldn't be surprising to discover that for many adopted children they may feel as though they are second class citizens. However, that is not the case when it comes to being a Christian.
The city of Ephesus was one of the greatest cities in the Roman Empire during Paul's missionary journeys. No doubt being a Roman citizen himself, he was familiar with the laws and customs of the time and, particularly with laws surrounding adoption. With that thought in mind, I stumbled across a quote attributed to the Roman historian William R. Ramsay. Ramsay writes, "The Roman-Syrian Law-Book…where a formerly prevalent Greek law had persisted under the Roman Empire—well illustrates this passage of the Epistle. It actually lays down the principle that a man can never put away an adopted son, and that he cannot put away a real son without good ground. It is remarkable that the adopted son should have a stronger position than the son by birth, yet it was so.” I was drawn to his statement that a man can "never put away an adopted son." Much of the reasoning behind this law is that adopted children are handpicked, for lack of a better term. The adopted family is able to select the child they want and that they know is a wanted addition to the family. Therefore, they could not disown that child like one could a natural born child. Thus, the adopted child had a permanent place in the family, including inheritance rights, that could never be taken away.
When we apply that to what the Apostle Paul wrote in the opening of his letter to the Ephesians we can see how the use of the term "adopted" is comforting to a believer. Similarly to an adopted child, our life before Christ can be described as a period when we were "lost." We did not know God and He did not know us in the sense of us having a relationship with Him. However, like the loving Father He is, God chose those of us who place faith in Jesus Christ so that "we might receive the full rights of sons (Galatians 4:5)." And the greatest part of being adopted into the family of God is that our adoption can never be revoked or lost. In other words, we are eternally secure in our salvation because of our position as a child of God. Unlike many Jews throughout history, who are the "natural born" children, they risk losing their inheritance because of their rejection of Jesus Christ as Savior. But, thankfully, in Christ, God has created "in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility (Ephesians 2:15-16)."
Because God has reconciled us to Himself, through Christ, we can be confident of our eternal destiny received as His children. Unlike the child looking to be adopted, we no longer have to fear never having a family or being treated as an outcast. "For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father (Romans 8:15)." Like that child who never had a family of their own, we not only have a new family, full of countless brothers and sisters in Christ all over the world, we have a Father in Heaven who loves us unconditionally and who has promised that we will be with Him throughout eternity. "And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory (Ephesians 1:13-14)." Rejoice in the fact that while the world may scoff at the idea of being adopted, God, in Christ, sees you as His child who He will never disown for all eternity. Amen!
The city of Ephesus was one of the greatest cities in the Roman Empire during Paul's missionary journeys. No doubt being a Roman citizen himself, he was familiar with the laws and customs of the time and, particularly with laws surrounding adoption. With that thought in mind, I stumbled across a quote attributed to the Roman historian William R. Ramsay. Ramsay writes, "The Roman-Syrian Law-Book…where a formerly prevalent Greek law had persisted under the Roman Empire—well illustrates this passage of the Epistle. It actually lays down the principle that a man can never put away an adopted son, and that he cannot put away a real son without good ground. It is remarkable that the adopted son should have a stronger position than the son by birth, yet it was so.” I was drawn to his statement that a man can "never put away an adopted son." Much of the reasoning behind this law is that adopted children are handpicked, for lack of a better term. The adopted family is able to select the child they want and that they know is a wanted addition to the family. Therefore, they could not disown that child like one could a natural born child. Thus, the adopted child had a permanent place in the family, including inheritance rights, that could never be taken away.
When we apply that to what the Apostle Paul wrote in the opening of his letter to the Ephesians we can see how the use of the term "adopted" is comforting to a believer. Similarly to an adopted child, our life before Christ can be described as a period when we were "lost." We did not know God and He did not know us in the sense of us having a relationship with Him. However, like the loving Father He is, God chose those of us who place faith in Jesus Christ so that "we might receive the full rights of sons (Galatians 4:5)." And the greatest part of being adopted into the family of God is that our adoption can never be revoked or lost. In other words, we are eternally secure in our salvation because of our position as a child of God. Unlike many Jews throughout history, who are the "natural born" children, they risk losing their inheritance because of their rejection of Jesus Christ as Savior. But, thankfully, in Christ, God has created "in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility (Ephesians 2:15-16)."
Because God has reconciled us to Himself, through Christ, we can be confident of our eternal destiny received as His children. Unlike the child looking to be adopted, we no longer have to fear never having a family or being treated as an outcast. "For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father (Romans 8:15)." Like that child who never had a family of their own, we not only have a new family, full of countless brothers and sisters in Christ all over the world, we have a Father in Heaven who loves us unconditionally and who has promised that we will be with Him throughout eternity. "And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory (Ephesians 1:13-14)." Rejoice in the fact that while the world may scoff at the idea of being adopted, God, in Christ, sees you as His child who He will never disown for all eternity. Amen!
Sunday, August 16, 2009
My Answer is ... August 16, 2009
Q: "Drop" the boxing gloves and quit fighting "Yourself" with "your" words. Today lets say, "I DROP UM"!!!!!!!!!
A: My prayer is that we not use this as an exercise in positive thinking, but an opportunity for understanding how God sees us because of our faith in Christ. It is the focus on ourselves which is what leads to us putting on the "boxing gloves" and fighting ourselves with our "words." If we want to drop anything, let us drop living our lives in an effort to receive from God that which we already have inherited through faith in Christ. Drop asking God to forgive you. You are forgiven (Eph 1:7). Drop seeking to be blessed. You are blessed (Eph 1:3). Drop living in fear. You are loved (1 Jn 3:1). Drop trying to be more Christlike. You are complete in Him (Col 2:9-10). Drop condemning yourself. You are holy and blameless (Col. 1:22). Drop worrying about tomorrow. You have everything you need for life and godliness (2 Ptr 1:3). Drop living under the law. You have been freed from the law (Rom 7:4). Drop fighting ourselves because Christ fought for us and won. In Him, we can become who we are.
Q: How do you know you are walking in "faith"?
A: Faith is our response to the truth God has revealed to us. Hebrews 4:10 says, "for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his." Christians should live in accordance with what they have received from God, not that which they hope to obtain from Him. God has "blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ (Eph 1:3)" and "given us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Ptr 1:3)." He did this so we would rest from trying to obtain or maintain our right standing before Him by what we are doing. Hebrews 4:11 says we are "following their (Jews) example of disobedience" by not resting. If you are living your life hoping to get more blessings from God or that He will be more pleased with you by what you are doing, you are not living by faith. You are living by works and being disobedient. "The righteous will live by faith (Rom 1:17)." We live by faith in what Jesus has done for us and wants to do through us.
Q: The bible says death and life is in the power of the tongue..Why is it so important to watch what you "say"about yourself?
A: Our words are a reflection of what we believe in our hearts. For example, how many Christians say that you can be "out of fellowship" with God, "lose your salvation" or something similar based on your actions? This comes from what they believe in their heart. The Bible says "For as he thinks within himself, so he is (Prv 23:7)." And we know that "the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man (Mat 15:18)." We don't speak things into reality by what we say. Rather what we say comes from our heart and is a reflection of our reality. Words don't have power. We give words power by the meaning we attribute to them. Christians must look at themselves from God's perspective to get a proper understanding of their identity. From God's viewpoint "you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor 6:11)." If you think on these things then what you say about yourself will line up with what God says about you.
Q: How do you know when God is "speaking" to you?
A: Hebrews 1:1-2 says, "In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son." Jesus said, "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me (John 10:27)." And we know that "The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children (Romans 8:16)." We are the sheep Jesus spoke of who hear His voice. We hear His voice because we have the Holy Spirit of God, the very life of God, indwelling us. It is the Spirit of God that leads us and guides us from within. It teaches us "to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age...(Titus 2:12)." We know God is speaking to us because His Spirit is leading us from sin, to a deeper understanding of who we are in Christ and by revealing things to us we never would have come up with on our own.
Q: If we are created in Gods own "image" why does the world see "US"?
A: Adam was created in God's image (Gen 1:27), spiritually alive with the life of God breathed into Him. But mankind is born in Adam, "in his own likeness, in his own image (Gen 5:3), spiritually dead to God in sin. This is the "bad news" of the Gospel, that we are separated from God when we come into the world. The Good News of the Gospel is that God, in Christ, forgave the sin that caused His life to leave Adam, through the Cross. Now God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, can offer His life as a free gift to all who receive Him by faith. And that life is an eternal life because there is no sin that can cause it to leave because of the eternal consequences of the Cross. "God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth (Jn 4:24)." Man looks on the outside. They will only see us, the temple of God. But, as we allow the love of God to shine through us "all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another (Jn 13:35)."
A: My prayer is that we not use this as an exercise in positive thinking, but an opportunity for understanding how God sees us because of our faith in Christ. It is the focus on ourselves which is what leads to us putting on the "boxing gloves" and fighting ourselves with our "words." If we want to drop anything, let us drop living our lives in an effort to receive from God that which we already have inherited through faith in Christ. Drop asking God to forgive you. You are forgiven (Eph 1:7). Drop seeking to be blessed. You are blessed (Eph 1:3). Drop living in fear. You are loved (1 Jn 3:1). Drop trying to be more Christlike. You are complete in Him (Col 2:9-10). Drop condemning yourself. You are holy and blameless (Col. 1:22). Drop worrying about tomorrow. You have everything you need for life and godliness (2 Ptr 1:3). Drop living under the law. You have been freed from the law (Rom 7:4). Drop fighting ourselves because Christ fought for us and won. In Him, we can become who we are.
Q: How do you know you are walking in "faith"?
A: Faith is our response to the truth God has revealed to us. Hebrews 4:10 says, "for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his." Christians should live in accordance with what they have received from God, not that which they hope to obtain from Him. God has "blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ (Eph 1:3)" and "given us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Ptr 1:3)." He did this so we would rest from trying to obtain or maintain our right standing before Him by what we are doing. Hebrews 4:11 says we are "following their (Jews) example of disobedience" by not resting. If you are living your life hoping to get more blessings from God or that He will be more pleased with you by what you are doing, you are not living by faith. You are living by works and being disobedient. "The righteous will live by faith (Rom 1:17)." We live by faith in what Jesus has done for us and wants to do through us.
Q: The bible says death and life is in the power of the tongue..Why is it so important to watch what you "say"about yourself?
A: Our words are a reflection of what we believe in our hearts. For example, how many Christians say that you can be "out of fellowship" with God, "lose your salvation" or something similar based on your actions? This comes from what they believe in their heart. The Bible says "For as he thinks within himself, so he is (Prv 23:7)." And we know that "the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man (Mat 15:18)." We don't speak things into reality by what we say. Rather what we say comes from our heart and is a reflection of our reality. Words don't have power. We give words power by the meaning we attribute to them. Christians must look at themselves from God's perspective to get a proper understanding of their identity. From God's viewpoint "you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor 6:11)." If you think on these things then what you say about yourself will line up with what God says about you.
Q: How do you know when God is "speaking" to you?
A: Hebrews 1:1-2 says, "In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son." Jesus said, "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me (John 10:27)." And we know that "The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children (Romans 8:16)." We are the sheep Jesus spoke of who hear His voice. We hear His voice because we have the Holy Spirit of God, the very life of God, indwelling us. It is the Spirit of God that leads us and guides us from within. It teaches us "to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age...(Titus 2:12)." We know God is speaking to us because His Spirit is leading us from sin, to a deeper understanding of who we are in Christ and by revealing things to us we never would have come up with on our own.
Q: If we are created in Gods own "image" why does the world see "US"?
A: Adam was created in God's image (Gen 1:27), spiritually alive with the life of God breathed into Him. But mankind is born in Adam, "in his own likeness, in his own image (Gen 5:3), spiritually dead to God in sin. This is the "bad news" of the Gospel, that we are separated from God when we come into the world. The Good News of the Gospel is that God, in Christ, forgave the sin that caused His life to leave Adam, through the Cross. Now God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, can offer His life as a free gift to all who receive Him by faith. And that life is an eternal life because there is no sin that can cause it to leave because of the eternal consequences of the Cross. "God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth (Jn 4:24)." Man looks on the outside. They will only see us, the temple of God. But, as we allow the love of God to shine through us "all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another (Jn 13:35)."
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Godless Manmade Empires
Q: Why are churches working in isolation today? Everybody is trying to build his own small empire.
A: It is unfortunate that there is a popular trend within the Body of Christ that seems to be more about the individual building their "own small empire." Jesus asked the question, "What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul (Mark 8:36)?" One thing you may have noticed, that led to your question, is the abundance of pastors and teachers out there that are teaching a gospel of gaining the world. Some call it the prosperity gospel. This is really no gospel at all since its main purpose is to get people focused on indulging their flesh by chasing after the things of this world, namely wealth, instead of being separate from the world in order to be a witness for Jesus Christ. Even worse is the fact that this message teaches people that they need Jesus in order to be successful in this world when there are plenty of unbelievers who are successful in the world and did it apart from Christ. What does that say about our Lord? It reminds me of what Paul said in his letter to the Romans, "God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you (Romans 2:24)." When you think about it, if the singular purpose of having faith in Christ is to seek after all the world has to offer what was the point of Jesus Christ coming to this world in the first place?
The problem begins and ends with the definition of the Church. The Church is not an organization, but it is an organism made up of individual believers in Christ located all around the world. Somewhere in time the definition of the Church went from disciples of Christ to membership within an organized religion. "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God (1 Corinthians 6:19)? I can't tell you how many times I have attended a service over the years and heard someone say something to the effect of "Welcome to the House of God?" Christians seem to forget that the building they are sitting in is not the house, or temple, of God. But it is that misconception which leads to an unnecessary and unhealthy focus on the building and the denomination that gathers within the building. Have you noticed how immaculate some of these church buildings have become? Many of them resemble modern day palaces or castles, complete with all the amenities you would come to expect inside of one. Therefore, you have pastors and teachers mistakenly believing that the church building is the temple of God and that increasing the numbers is how you grow the so called Body of Christ. Usually, the focus then becomes on how do you fill the church which often leads to a compromised false gospel of worldliness that attracts the masses.
There is not an individual on the planet who isn't suffering in one form or another. Depending on where you go someone is going to be experiencing pain whether it be personal, financial, mental or spiritual. And the message of many of these churches is geared around appealing to this suffering and trying to attract people to the church. The message is one of "come to my church and I will tell you how to maximize your pleasure and minimize your pain." Thus, you see these "empires," as you called them, stuffed with thousands of people all focused on one man who is the benefactor of all these attendees. However, that is the exact opposite of what scripture commands. As I mentioned earlier, the individual believer is the Church and, in keeping with the Great Commission, it is the individual who is to "go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19)." We, as individuals, are to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world through our interactions with people on a daily basis. The Great Commission is not to build bigger and better sanctuaries designed to attract people to them. When this is the case you will have people putting more faith in their church then they have in Jesus Christ. Thus, you have the isolated churches more focused on nickels and noses (money and membership) then they are focused on advancing the Gospel.
At the root of these empires are more than likely false teachers trying to use Christianity as their vehicle to achieve worldly gain. And they attract many people with the same goal in mind. The Bible says to avoid a teacher like this because they "have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain (1 Timothy 6:5)." And the reason they have huge empires is because what they teach attracts people who are not concerned with sound biblical teaching. "Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear (2 Timothy 4:3)." Your average person doesn't want to hear the truth that they are dead in sin and in need of the life of God through faith in Jesus Christ. They want someone to tell them how to get the things they want from the world. Thus, these teachers twist scripture and play on the emotions of their congregants to give them what they want to hear so, in turn, they can receive what they want from the people; riches, wealth and honor. My advice to you is to keep working on your relationship with Jesus Christ, learning to live a life of trust and dependence on Him. By doing that the Lord can use you to effect the world in ways that these large "empires" will never do.
A: It is unfortunate that there is a popular trend within the Body of Christ that seems to be more about the individual building their "own small empire." Jesus asked the question, "What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul (Mark 8:36)?" One thing you may have noticed, that led to your question, is the abundance of pastors and teachers out there that are teaching a gospel of gaining the world. Some call it the prosperity gospel. This is really no gospel at all since its main purpose is to get people focused on indulging their flesh by chasing after the things of this world, namely wealth, instead of being separate from the world in order to be a witness for Jesus Christ. Even worse is the fact that this message teaches people that they need Jesus in order to be successful in this world when there are plenty of unbelievers who are successful in the world and did it apart from Christ. What does that say about our Lord? It reminds me of what Paul said in his letter to the Romans, "God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you (Romans 2:24)." When you think about it, if the singular purpose of having faith in Christ is to seek after all the world has to offer what was the point of Jesus Christ coming to this world in the first place?
The problem begins and ends with the definition of the Church. The Church is not an organization, but it is an organism made up of individual believers in Christ located all around the world. Somewhere in time the definition of the Church went from disciples of Christ to membership within an organized religion. "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God (1 Corinthians 6:19)? I can't tell you how many times I have attended a service over the years and heard someone say something to the effect of "Welcome to the House of God?" Christians seem to forget that the building they are sitting in is not the house, or temple, of God. But it is that misconception which leads to an unnecessary and unhealthy focus on the building and the denomination that gathers within the building. Have you noticed how immaculate some of these church buildings have become? Many of them resemble modern day palaces or castles, complete with all the amenities you would come to expect inside of one. Therefore, you have pastors and teachers mistakenly believing that the church building is the temple of God and that increasing the numbers is how you grow the so called Body of Christ. Usually, the focus then becomes on how do you fill the church which often leads to a compromised false gospel of worldliness that attracts the masses.
There is not an individual on the planet who isn't suffering in one form or another. Depending on where you go someone is going to be experiencing pain whether it be personal, financial, mental or spiritual. And the message of many of these churches is geared around appealing to this suffering and trying to attract people to the church. The message is one of "come to my church and I will tell you how to maximize your pleasure and minimize your pain." Thus, you see these "empires," as you called them, stuffed with thousands of people all focused on one man who is the benefactor of all these attendees. However, that is the exact opposite of what scripture commands. As I mentioned earlier, the individual believer is the Church and, in keeping with the Great Commission, it is the individual who is to "go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19)." We, as individuals, are to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world through our interactions with people on a daily basis. The Great Commission is not to build bigger and better sanctuaries designed to attract people to them. When this is the case you will have people putting more faith in their church then they have in Jesus Christ. Thus, you have the isolated churches more focused on nickels and noses (money and membership) then they are focused on advancing the Gospel.
At the root of these empires are more than likely false teachers trying to use Christianity as their vehicle to achieve worldly gain. And they attract many people with the same goal in mind. The Bible says to avoid a teacher like this because they "have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain (1 Timothy 6:5)." And the reason they have huge empires is because what they teach attracts people who are not concerned with sound biblical teaching. "Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear (2 Timothy 4:3)." Your average person doesn't want to hear the truth that they are dead in sin and in need of the life of God through faith in Jesus Christ. They want someone to tell them how to get the things they want from the world. Thus, these teachers twist scripture and play on the emotions of their congregants to give them what they want to hear so, in turn, they can receive what they want from the people; riches, wealth and honor. My advice to you is to keep working on your relationship with Jesus Christ, learning to live a life of trust and dependence on Him. By doing that the Lord can use you to effect the world in ways that these large "empires" will never do.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
The Forgotten Miracle
He went by the name of Malchus. And, as far as I can tell, the miracle he experienced is only mentioned once in the Gospel of Luke. "While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus asked him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?"
When Jesus' followers saw what was going to happen, they said, "Lord, should we strike with our swords?" And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear.
But Jesus answered, "No more of this!" And he touched the man's ear and healed him (Luke 22:47-51)." The healing of Malchus' ear is captured beautifully in Mel Gibson's 2004 film, The Passion of the Christ. It focused on Malchus as he held his ear in astonishment as he realized what had just happened to him. One can only imagine what was going through his mind as he searched for answers to his questions. The pain of a severed ear followed by the exact opposite relief of an ear restored. And besides the obvious question of "What just happened?" is the equally baffling question, "Who is this that healed my ear?"
Most of us glance by this miracle in the pages of Scripture. After all, Jesus did much more noteworthy miracles like walking on water, exorcising demons, healing the sick and raising the dead. What is the restoration of an ear in comparison to all these other miracles? But, to Malchus it could have been the difference between life and death. I don't mean the physical death he escaped from the sword only striking his ear instead of landing flush on his skull. I mean the difference between eternal life and eternal death. The Bible doesn't record what became of Malchus, but I wouldn't be surprised to meet him in heaven one day. You may ask how I can make such a huge assumption with basically no evidence? My only evidence is my own life experience. No miracle is greater than the miracle of new birth. However, I remember all the small "miracles," or encounters with God, that either led me to faith in Christ or helped establish the foundation for my faith after being saved. There were the two potential DUIs I avoided. The numerous times I was driving under the influence of alcohol and didn't fall asleep behind the wheel, wreck, strike someone or get pulled over. And countless other times that God protected me from the wages of my sin to varying degrees. I am sure all of you can attest to similar miracles in your life few people know about or that you have forgotten even took place.
Malchus is emblematic of all of us prior to salvation. "For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life (Romans 5:10)!" Malchus was an enemy of God. Coming to arrest Jesus would make you His enemy,but he was already an enemy of God. Prior to salvation we are all enemies of God, dead to Him in sin, living to please ourselves. We all have a testimony of the circumstances surrounding us coming to faith in Jesus Christ. No doubt they are full of miracles, large and small, that as a whole led us to Christ. They may not all be as dramatic as a miraculous healing, like that experienced by Malchus, but they were no less significant in turning us to our Lord. And sometimes it has to be that way. Often times we can hear or read about others as they testify of what happened in their lives that stopped them in their tracks and turned them to Christ. But, until we have our own experience, the experience of others is not always enough to make us recognize our need for a Savior. Just look at the Pharisees of Jesus' time. They were eyewitnesses to the miracles Jesus performed. Their response was not to accept Him as their Savior, but rather plotting to kill Him. Yet we do have an example of a Pharisee that experienced a miracle that changed his life for eternity.
In Acts 9 we have the conversion of Paul. He is on his way to persecute Christians when, out of nowhere, "a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me (Acts 9:3-4)?" Paul had a conversion experience unlike any other I have ever heard or read about. And the rest is, as they say, history. Paul's miracle encounter with the Lord was just what He needed to turn Him to Christ. Malchus losing an ear, and then having it restored by the Lord, may have been the miracle he needed to turn him around and to the Lord. My "miracles" were more subtle, but just as powerful and necessary to get me to realize my need for a Savior. God knows exactly what we need, when we need it and where we need it in order to strip us down to the point we realize our need for Jesus. Our responsibility is to respond to the Lord. Paul did. I did. Maybe you did or you will some day. And maybe Malchus did as well. While the miracle of Malchus is glossed over, and forgotten, by many Christians and readers of the Bible, I am sure it was never forgotten by Malchus. While he went to lead Jesus to His death, Jesus gave Him something that may have led Malchus to his life. The world may not know, or just might forget, our miracles. But, God knows what He did for us and we certainly will never forget.
When Jesus' followers saw what was going to happen, they said, "Lord, should we strike with our swords?" And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear.
But Jesus answered, "No more of this!" And he touched the man's ear and healed him (Luke 22:47-51)." The healing of Malchus' ear is captured beautifully in Mel Gibson's 2004 film, The Passion of the Christ. It focused on Malchus as he held his ear in astonishment as he realized what had just happened to him. One can only imagine what was going through his mind as he searched for answers to his questions. The pain of a severed ear followed by the exact opposite relief of an ear restored. And besides the obvious question of "What just happened?" is the equally baffling question, "Who is this that healed my ear?"
Most of us glance by this miracle in the pages of Scripture. After all, Jesus did much more noteworthy miracles like walking on water, exorcising demons, healing the sick and raising the dead. What is the restoration of an ear in comparison to all these other miracles? But, to Malchus it could have been the difference between life and death. I don't mean the physical death he escaped from the sword only striking his ear instead of landing flush on his skull. I mean the difference between eternal life and eternal death. The Bible doesn't record what became of Malchus, but I wouldn't be surprised to meet him in heaven one day. You may ask how I can make such a huge assumption with basically no evidence? My only evidence is my own life experience. No miracle is greater than the miracle of new birth. However, I remember all the small "miracles," or encounters with God, that either led me to faith in Christ or helped establish the foundation for my faith after being saved. There were the two potential DUIs I avoided. The numerous times I was driving under the influence of alcohol and didn't fall asleep behind the wheel, wreck, strike someone or get pulled over. And countless other times that God protected me from the wages of my sin to varying degrees. I am sure all of you can attest to similar miracles in your life few people know about or that you have forgotten even took place.
Malchus is emblematic of all of us prior to salvation. "For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life (Romans 5:10)!" Malchus was an enemy of God. Coming to arrest Jesus would make you His enemy,but he was already an enemy of God. Prior to salvation we are all enemies of God, dead to Him in sin, living to please ourselves. We all have a testimony of the circumstances surrounding us coming to faith in Jesus Christ. No doubt they are full of miracles, large and small, that as a whole led us to Christ. They may not all be as dramatic as a miraculous healing, like that experienced by Malchus, but they were no less significant in turning us to our Lord. And sometimes it has to be that way. Often times we can hear or read about others as they testify of what happened in their lives that stopped them in their tracks and turned them to Christ. But, until we have our own experience, the experience of others is not always enough to make us recognize our need for a Savior. Just look at the Pharisees of Jesus' time. They were eyewitnesses to the miracles Jesus performed. Their response was not to accept Him as their Savior, but rather plotting to kill Him. Yet we do have an example of a Pharisee that experienced a miracle that changed his life for eternity.
In Acts 9 we have the conversion of Paul. He is on his way to persecute Christians when, out of nowhere, "a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me (Acts 9:3-4)?" Paul had a conversion experience unlike any other I have ever heard or read about. And the rest is, as they say, history. Paul's miracle encounter with the Lord was just what He needed to turn Him to Christ. Malchus losing an ear, and then having it restored by the Lord, may have been the miracle he needed to turn him around and to the Lord. My "miracles" were more subtle, but just as powerful and necessary to get me to realize my need for a Savior. God knows exactly what we need, when we need it and where we need it in order to strip us down to the point we realize our need for Jesus. Our responsibility is to respond to the Lord. Paul did. I did. Maybe you did or you will some day. And maybe Malchus did as well. While the miracle of Malchus is glossed over, and forgotten, by many Christians and readers of the Bible, I am sure it was never forgotten by Malchus. While he went to lead Jesus to His death, Jesus gave Him something that may have led Malchus to his life. The world may not know, or just might forget, our miracles. But, God knows what He did for us and we certainly will never forget.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
My Answer is ... August 9, 2009
Q: Let go of the past, let's load up this page and say "I LET IT GO"!
A: God promised He would forgive all our sins in the Old Testament. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more (Jer. 31:34)." Jesus Christ was the fulfillment of that promise. "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29)!" We now live in the forgiveness we have in Christ. "God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them (2 Cor 5:19)." The forgiveness issue is the most important issue for a Christian to understand. God is not holding your sins against you. If He did you would not be saved because every time you sinned you would lose your eternal life. And you can't call it eternal life if you can lose it. You wouldn't ask somebody to give you something you already possess. We don't ask God for the forgiveness we already possess. There are no more confession booths, altar calls, short accounts or whatever we do get forgiveness. God "let it go" and now we should "let it go" as well. Believe it!
Q: Jesus says your "thoughts" are not my "thoughts". What does that mean?
A: As unbelievers we are dead to God in sin. Our minds are focused on the flesh. And, therefore we sow to the flesh. We have no alternative, but to sin in one form or another. As Christians, "we have the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16)." We have come alive to God through faith in Jesus. The Spirit of God now indwells us and illumines everything for us. In Luke 24:45 it says that Jesus, "opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures." The difference is that without the spirit of God we have our own fallen minds to rely on. In Christ, we have the mind of God to help guide us and teach us. Colossians 1:21 says, "Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior." This is an example of man without God. He has no alternative, but to rely on his own understanding which leads to sin. Now, in Christ, our thoughts become the Lord's thoughts because we have His mind available to us.The lost world doesn't have this available to them.
Q: What does it mean to have a "Recognizable" faith?
A: Often times "recognizable" faith is defined as "how well another Christian is doing at mimicking the behaviors we are trying to do." It leads to things like accountability groups and "fruit" inspecting other Christians trying to get them to act properly. Are you going to church, studying your bible, sinning less, giving enough, etc? This is not of the Lord. Recognizable faith, if there is such a thing, is strictly between the individual believer and the Lord. Paul said that if we don't have love we have nothing (1 Cor. 13). If we recognize anything it should be how well we are doing in the love department. And that starts with recognizing how much God first loved us. Are we always patient, always kind, never keeping records of wrongs, never delighting in evil, never envious, never proud, never rude, always trusting, always hoping, etc? This is how God is with us and we in turn allow Him to produce the fruit of His love through us. Recognize our faiths fruit is for others to enjoy.
Q: The bible says who the son sets "free" is "free" indeed. What does that mean?
A: We are free to serve one another in love. Free to give of ourselves. Free from sin. Free from accusation. Free from the wages of sin. Free to approach God in confidence. Free to let God work in us rather than us working for Him. Free from the law of sin and death. Free from the Old Covenant. Free to stand in Grace. Free from human regulations and traditions. Free to be led by the Spirit. Free from condemnation. Free to be controlled by righteousness. Free to rest. Free from fear. Free to discover all that we have in Christ. Free to be a slave to Christ. Free from the burden of the yoke of slavery. Free to know the truth. Free to preach the Gospel. Saints we are free in Christ. God is pleased with us and given us the righteousness of Christ through faith. We should live as who we are not as who we want to be. The Christian life is a discovery of all that we have freely been given by God through faith in Jesus Christ. In turn, we live a life of thankfulness to God for our freedom.
Q: Why are we(Christians) "anointed" by God?
A: 'Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come (2 Cor. 1:21-22).' To anoint means to dedicate to the service of God. Often times oil is used as a symbol of being anointed. Oil is also a symbol of the Holy Spirit. The anointing Christians have been given is the Holy Spirit. Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ the life of God has been restored to all believers. God now indwells us. Through trust in and dependence on the guidance of the Holy Spirit, a Christian has the 'power' to stand firm in Christ and preach the Gospel. Therefore, we can keep our eyes on the Lord and what He is doing through us and off of ourselves and what we try to do for Him.'But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).'
A: God promised He would forgive all our sins in the Old Testament. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more (Jer. 31:34)." Jesus Christ was the fulfillment of that promise. "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29)!" We now live in the forgiveness we have in Christ. "God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them (2 Cor 5:19)." The forgiveness issue is the most important issue for a Christian to understand. God is not holding your sins against you. If He did you would not be saved because every time you sinned you would lose your eternal life. And you can't call it eternal life if you can lose it. You wouldn't ask somebody to give you something you already possess. We don't ask God for the forgiveness we already possess. There are no more confession booths, altar calls, short accounts or whatever we do get forgiveness. God "let it go" and now we should "let it go" as well. Believe it!
Q: Jesus says your "thoughts" are not my "thoughts". What does that mean?
A: As unbelievers we are dead to God in sin. Our minds are focused on the flesh. And, therefore we sow to the flesh. We have no alternative, but to sin in one form or another. As Christians, "we have the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16)." We have come alive to God through faith in Jesus. The Spirit of God now indwells us and illumines everything for us. In Luke 24:45 it says that Jesus, "opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures." The difference is that without the spirit of God we have our own fallen minds to rely on. In Christ, we have the mind of God to help guide us and teach us. Colossians 1:21 says, "Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior." This is an example of man without God. He has no alternative, but to rely on his own understanding which leads to sin. Now, in Christ, our thoughts become the Lord's thoughts because we have His mind available to us.The lost world doesn't have this available to them.
Q: What does it mean to have a "Recognizable" faith?
A: Often times "recognizable" faith is defined as "how well another Christian is doing at mimicking the behaviors we are trying to do." It leads to things like accountability groups and "fruit" inspecting other Christians trying to get them to act properly. Are you going to church, studying your bible, sinning less, giving enough, etc? This is not of the Lord. Recognizable faith, if there is such a thing, is strictly between the individual believer and the Lord. Paul said that if we don't have love we have nothing (1 Cor. 13). If we recognize anything it should be how well we are doing in the love department. And that starts with recognizing how much God first loved us. Are we always patient, always kind, never keeping records of wrongs, never delighting in evil, never envious, never proud, never rude, always trusting, always hoping, etc? This is how God is with us and we in turn allow Him to produce the fruit of His love through us. Recognize our faiths fruit is for others to enjoy.
Q: The bible says who the son sets "free" is "free" indeed. What does that mean?
A: We are free to serve one another in love. Free to give of ourselves. Free from sin. Free from accusation. Free from the wages of sin. Free to approach God in confidence. Free to let God work in us rather than us working for Him. Free from the law of sin and death. Free from the Old Covenant. Free to stand in Grace. Free from human regulations and traditions. Free to be led by the Spirit. Free from condemnation. Free to be controlled by righteousness. Free to rest. Free from fear. Free to discover all that we have in Christ. Free to be a slave to Christ. Free from the burden of the yoke of slavery. Free to know the truth. Free to preach the Gospel. Saints we are free in Christ. God is pleased with us and given us the righteousness of Christ through faith. We should live as who we are not as who we want to be. The Christian life is a discovery of all that we have freely been given by God through faith in Jesus Christ. In turn, we live a life of thankfulness to God for our freedom.
Q: Why are we(Christians) "anointed" by God?
A: 'Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come (2 Cor. 1:21-22).' To anoint means to dedicate to the service of God. Often times oil is used as a symbol of being anointed. Oil is also a symbol of the Holy Spirit. The anointing Christians have been given is the Holy Spirit. Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ the life of God has been restored to all believers. God now indwells us. Through trust in and dependence on the guidance of the Holy Spirit, a Christian has the 'power' to stand firm in Christ and preach the Gospel. Therefore, we can keep our eyes on the Lord and what He is doing through us and off of ourselves and what we try to do for Him.'But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).'
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Receive Whatever You Ask For in Prayer
Q: Is this scripture "you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer" only for the disciples who we know were to later receive the Spirit and perform miracles? Does it apply to Believers today such as one with the healing "Gift of the Spirit"? Matthew 21:20When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. `How did the fig tree wither so quickly?` they asked. 21Jesus replied, `I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, `Go, throw yourself into the sea,` and it will be done. 22If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.`
A: The instruction of Jesus wasn't necessarily for the disciples only. We must remember that there were no "born again" Christians during the time of Jesus' earthly ministry. As you alluded to in your question the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of the disciples at that time. This did not occur until after Jesus ascended into heaven which is recorded in Acts 1:9. Then in Acts 2 we have the Holy Spirit coming upon the disciples on the Day of Pentecost. When Jesus says "you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer" He is not saying that God is like a vending machine granting our every wish like He is our own personal genie. When we accept Christ by faith we are new creations, "the old has gone, the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17)!" As new creations in Christ we now have the Holy Spirit, the very life of God, indwelling us. Along with our new life comes new desires and an attitude to only do what our Father in heaven tells us to do. When Jesus was praying on the Mount of Olives, just prior to His arrest, He was praying for God to remove the burden placed on Him to go to the Cross. However, Jesus ended His prayer with "yet not my will, but yours be done (Matthew 22:42)."
Therefore, as Jesus' example shows, what we ask for is not for God to grant our will, but for His will to be done through us. It is easy to assume that God will do whatever we ask of Him. However, we forget that God is not in our lives to bless our flesh, which is what most of us would be asking Him to do, if we are honest. God's will is for everybody to come to faith in Christ and for believers to be thankful for all He has already given us as we make ourselves available for Him to use us to fulfill His will on earth. Furthermore, if you look closer at the passage from Matthew 21 what Jesus is saying about getting what we ask for in prayer is conditional on our faith and ability to not doubt. He says "IF you have faith and do not doubt" you could do all the things mentioned. However, none of us have faith enough to wither fig trees or cast a mountain into the sea. The Christian life is not about the size of our faith and our ability, but is all about the size of our God and His ability. 1 Corinthians 1:9 says, "God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful." God initiated our salvation. He came down as Jesus to live a sinless life, die for our sins and be raised from the dead to offer us His life. God is the one who finishes the work He started in us and guarantees our salvation. It is not our faith, but the object of our faith, Jesus Christ, who performs God's will through us.
When it comes to healing, God is the one who does all the healing. In many cases Christians believe that the healing pertaining to believers is the ability, or gift, to physically heal sicknesses, disease and infirmities. While that may happen on occasion that is not the type of healing we should focus on. The healing believers receive is one of a spiritual nature. "But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed (Isaiah 53:5)." The healing we received as a result of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ was that our sins were forgiven so that God, through the resurrection of Christ, could "heal" us from our spiritual death. All mankind is born into the world spiritually dead to God, in sin, because of the sin of Adam. God desiring to restore His life to mankind first had to deal with the sin that caused His life to leave in the first place. Therefore Jesus, the only man born into this world with a life to give that would satisfy God as payment for our sins had to die. Now, raised from the dead, God can offer His life, as a free gift, to all who accept Jesus Christ by faith. Now, in Him, we are healed of our spiritual death, come alive to God and are at peace with God, safe from His wrath and condemnation.
Lastly, we must not overlook the significance of Jesus cursing the fig tree for not bearing any fruit. The nation of Israel on more than one occasion is symbolized by the fig tree (i.e. Hosea 9:10). It has been said that a barren fig tree is the symbol of divine judgment. And Israel, throughout history, has been judged by God because of its spiritual fruitlessness despite being God's chosen nation (i.e. Jeremiah 8:13). It is possible that the cursing of the fig tree by Jesus is a reflection of Israel's ultimate example of fruitlessness; the rejection of Jesus Christ Himself, Israel's Messiah. In fact, Jesus said as much to His Jewish audience in Luke 13. When talking to the crowd about their need to repent He used a parable about a fig tree as an example. "A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil (Luke 13:6-7)?'" The cursing of the fig tree could also be due to the fig being thought of as the forbidden fruit that Adam ate in the Garden which caused the Fall of Man. The evidence for this is found in Genesis 3:7, "they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves." Regardless of the reason the fig tree was cursed, it should serve as a reminder of how thankful Christians should be for being safe from God's wrath.
A: The instruction of Jesus wasn't necessarily for the disciples only. We must remember that there were no "born again" Christians during the time of Jesus' earthly ministry. As you alluded to in your question the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of the disciples at that time. This did not occur until after Jesus ascended into heaven which is recorded in Acts 1:9. Then in Acts 2 we have the Holy Spirit coming upon the disciples on the Day of Pentecost. When Jesus says "you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer" He is not saying that God is like a vending machine granting our every wish like He is our own personal genie. When we accept Christ by faith we are new creations, "the old has gone, the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17)!" As new creations in Christ we now have the Holy Spirit, the very life of God, indwelling us. Along with our new life comes new desires and an attitude to only do what our Father in heaven tells us to do. When Jesus was praying on the Mount of Olives, just prior to His arrest, He was praying for God to remove the burden placed on Him to go to the Cross. However, Jesus ended His prayer with "yet not my will, but yours be done (Matthew 22:42)."
Therefore, as Jesus' example shows, what we ask for is not for God to grant our will, but for His will to be done through us. It is easy to assume that God will do whatever we ask of Him. However, we forget that God is not in our lives to bless our flesh, which is what most of us would be asking Him to do, if we are honest. God's will is for everybody to come to faith in Christ and for believers to be thankful for all He has already given us as we make ourselves available for Him to use us to fulfill His will on earth. Furthermore, if you look closer at the passage from Matthew 21 what Jesus is saying about getting what we ask for in prayer is conditional on our faith and ability to not doubt. He says "IF you have faith and do not doubt" you could do all the things mentioned. However, none of us have faith enough to wither fig trees or cast a mountain into the sea. The Christian life is not about the size of our faith and our ability, but is all about the size of our God and His ability. 1 Corinthians 1:9 says, "God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful." God initiated our salvation. He came down as Jesus to live a sinless life, die for our sins and be raised from the dead to offer us His life. God is the one who finishes the work He started in us and guarantees our salvation. It is not our faith, but the object of our faith, Jesus Christ, who performs God's will through us.
When it comes to healing, God is the one who does all the healing. In many cases Christians believe that the healing pertaining to believers is the ability, or gift, to physically heal sicknesses, disease and infirmities. While that may happen on occasion that is not the type of healing we should focus on. The healing believers receive is one of a spiritual nature. "But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed (Isaiah 53:5)." The healing we received as a result of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ was that our sins were forgiven so that God, through the resurrection of Christ, could "heal" us from our spiritual death. All mankind is born into the world spiritually dead to God, in sin, because of the sin of Adam. God desiring to restore His life to mankind first had to deal with the sin that caused His life to leave in the first place. Therefore Jesus, the only man born into this world with a life to give that would satisfy God as payment for our sins had to die. Now, raised from the dead, God can offer His life, as a free gift, to all who accept Jesus Christ by faith. Now, in Him, we are healed of our spiritual death, come alive to God and are at peace with God, safe from His wrath and condemnation.
Lastly, we must not overlook the significance of Jesus cursing the fig tree for not bearing any fruit. The nation of Israel on more than one occasion is symbolized by the fig tree (i.e. Hosea 9:10). It has been said that a barren fig tree is the symbol of divine judgment. And Israel, throughout history, has been judged by God because of its spiritual fruitlessness despite being God's chosen nation (i.e. Jeremiah 8:13). It is possible that the cursing of the fig tree by Jesus is a reflection of Israel's ultimate example of fruitlessness; the rejection of Jesus Christ Himself, Israel's Messiah. In fact, Jesus said as much to His Jewish audience in Luke 13. When talking to the crowd about their need to repent He used a parable about a fig tree as an example. "A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil (Luke 13:6-7)?'" The cursing of the fig tree could also be due to the fig being thought of as the forbidden fruit that Adam ate in the Garden which caused the Fall of Man. The evidence for this is found in Genesis 3:7, "they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves." Regardless of the reason the fig tree was cursed, it should serve as a reminder of how thankful Christians should be for being safe from God's wrath.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Get your Diploma
I remember when I graduated college how there were a handful of students who were still undergraduates, but who started college before me. At the time I joked that I had "lapped" them in the sense of having passed them up. I couldn't believe someone could be a full time student and not have enough credits to graduate after four or five years. Looking back, I should have minded my own business and just been thankful that I got out. However, the thought of someone being a student for such a long time and, seemingly, never advancing to the point they could graduate reminds me of some Christians. Recently, I had the opportunity to observe how Christians, when it comes to "praising" and "thanking" Jesus Christ for all He has done for us are rarely at a loss for words. Yet, when it comes down to the nuts and bolts of the faith few have a clue as to what the Gospel is or how to explain the basic principles of the faith. I can't help, but to think of the words of the author of Hebrews. "In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food (Hebrews 5:12)!"
One of the best comments I have ever heard made is that the "job of a pastor is to put himself out of business." I know that is blasphemy to some, but the point is that we all should be maturing in our faith to the point that we are teaching others and not in constant need of being taught the basics. Granted, as finite beings, we can never know everything. But, we definitely can know enough to grow and teach others. There is a misconception that because someone has been in the faith for a number of years that they are mature in their faith. The two don't necessarily go hand in hand. Early on in my walk I was encouraged by 1 Timothy 4:12. "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity." There is a belief that youth equals immaturity or lack of knowledge. In most cases this is true. The younger we are the less experience or wisdom we have developed. However, when it comes to matters of the faith, the Holy Spirit only wants an open heart and teachable spirit. There is not an age requirement associated with being available to the Holy Spirit.
I remember a fellow Christian challenging a group of Christians, including myself, to attend a church we have never visited before in an effort to do a test. The test was to go up to someone who has attended the church you are visiting for quite some time, namely an elder or an usher. Then ask them if they could explain to you what is the meaning of the Gospel message? The individual making this challenge said that on most occasions the person he encountered could not answer the question with any substance. On one occasion the person asked had been a member of the particular church for over a decade and couldn't answer a basic question about the faith. This is a perfect example of someone who is content with being a student, a baby in Christ, for the foreseeable future. They are an example of someone still needing milk and not ready for solid food. I cringe every time I see one of these "megachurches," filled with hundreds of people, being led down a primrose path to spiritual destruction because they have little to no discernment to identify the error being taught. This is a direct byproduct of still needing milk or perhaps not being saved in the first place.
One of my favorite passages in Scripture is Galatians 2:6. "As for those who seemed to be important—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not judge by external appearance—those men added nothing to my message." I love how Paul doesn't put any stock in others simply because they have a following or are considered to be an authority on matters of the faith. Not to say Paul believed in, or is advocating, disrespecting or not listening to those who may have knowledge of a subject. But, he is saying that just because someone is a person in authority or believed to have knowledge doesn't mean that what they say is true. And the only way we can determine who is speaking the truth is by maturing in our faith. In other words, we can't be students our whole life. We will get passed up and never be intelligent enough to stand firm in our faith and teach others to do likewise. There is a time and place for learning and being discipled. However, there is also a time to teach and disciple others. One of these days we have to graduate and share what we know with others. God is with us and will guide us in our walk if we only allow Him to do so.
One of the best comments I have ever heard made is that the "job of a pastor is to put himself out of business." I know that is blasphemy to some, but the point is that we all should be maturing in our faith to the point that we are teaching others and not in constant need of being taught the basics. Granted, as finite beings, we can never know everything. But, we definitely can know enough to grow and teach others. There is a misconception that because someone has been in the faith for a number of years that they are mature in their faith. The two don't necessarily go hand in hand. Early on in my walk I was encouraged by 1 Timothy 4:12. "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity." There is a belief that youth equals immaturity or lack of knowledge. In most cases this is true. The younger we are the less experience or wisdom we have developed. However, when it comes to matters of the faith, the Holy Spirit only wants an open heart and teachable spirit. There is not an age requirement associated with being available to the Holy Spirit.
I remember a fellow Christian challenging a group of Christians, including myself, to attend a church we have never visited before in an effort to do a test. The test was to go up to someone who has attended the church you are visiting for quite some time, namely an elder or an usher. Then ask them if they could explain to you what is the meaning of the Gospel message? The individual making this challenge said that on most occasions the person he encountered could not answer the question with any substance. On one occasion the person asked had been a member of the particular church for over a decade and couldn't answer a basic question about the faith. This is a perfect example of someone who is content with being a student, a baby in Christ, for the foreseeable future. They are an example of someone still needing milk and not ready for solid food. I cringe every time I see one of these "megachurches," filled with hundreds of people, being led down a primrose path to spiritual destruction because they have little to no discernment to identify the error being taught. This is a direct byproduct of still needing milk or perhaps not being saved in the first place.
One of my favorite passages in Scripture is Galatians 2:6. "As for those who seemed to be important—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not judge by external appearance—those men added nothing to my message." I love how Paul doesn't put any stock in others simply because they have a following or are considered to be an authority on matters of the faith. Not to say Paul believed in, or is advocating, disrespecting or not listening to those who may have knowledge of a subject. But, he is saying that just because someone is a person in authority or believed to have knowledge doesn't mean that what they say is true. And the only way we can determine who is speaking the truth is by maturing in our faith. In other words, we can't be students our whole life. We will get passed up and never be intelligent enough to stand firm in our faith and teach others to do likewise. There is a time and place for learning and being discipled. However, there is also a time to teach and disciple others. One of these days we have to graduate and share what we know with others. God is with us and will guide us in our walk if we only allow Him to do so.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Where are the Prophecies?
Q: Why aren't these prophecies in the Old Testament? Matthew 2:23 Matthew 27: 9-10 John 2:17 Matthew 2:14-15 Matthew 1:22-23 Thanks for your time..take care.
A: I am not so certain that these prophecies aren't found earlier in the Old Testament. Matthew 2:23 says, "and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: "He will be called a Nazarene." While it is true that the town of Nazareth is not mentioned in the Old Testament, the use of the town's name means something more than just a geographical location. In John 1:46 Nathanael asks, with disgust, when referring to Jesus "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nazareth was a small town and its inhabitants were not thought of too highly. Therefore, it is widely believed that the use of "Nazarene" in Matthew 2:23 can be a reference to how Jesus would be despised as much as it is a reference to the His hometown. With that thought in mind Old Testament connections arise. One such prophecy can be found in the Psalms. "But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people (Psalm 22:6)." Another, and more well known, passage comes from the book of Isaiah. "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not (Isaiah 53:3)."
Matthew 27:9-10 says, "Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: "They took the thirty silver coins, the price set on him by the people of Israel, and they used them to buy the potter's field, as the Lord commanded me." This passage has Old Testament ties, but they are broken up between different books and authors. It appears to be taken from Zechariah and Jeremiah, but the reference is given to the major prophet Jeremiah. In Zechariah we read, "I told them, "If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it." So they paid me thirty pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12)." In a few places in Jeremiah we can see where part of this prophecy from Matthew 27 originated. In Jeremiah 18, 19 and 32 we have references to "the potter's house," buying "a clay jar from the potter" and purchasing a "field at Ananthoth." There are other times in scripture where Old Testament references from different writers are combined, but the major prophet is given the credit for the prophecy. For example Mark 1:2-3 quotes Malachi and Isaiah, but attributes the quotes to the major prophet Isaiah alone.
In the Gospel of John it says, "His disciples remembered that it is written: "Zeal for your house will consume me (John 2:17)." John is referring directly to a passage from the Psalms in this verse. Psalm 69:9 reads, "for zeal for your house consumes me, and the insults of those who insult you fall on me." Matthew 2:14-15 states, "So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called my son." This passage is a fulfillment of Hosea 11:1, "When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son." Matthew 1:22-23 says, "All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"—which means, "God with us." The prophecy this passage fulfills is found in Isaiah 7:14. There is reads, "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel."
As you can see, the roots of some of these prophecies are easier to discover then others. I would suggest that you keep doing what you are doing by asking questions. However, above all else, get some of your own resources like a concordance, Bible software, different translations and other tools like that. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you into the Word of God because if He teaches you than you have been taught. Don't take my word for it, but test everything up against the Word of God and if we agree then you know the Holy Spirit has taught both of us. Jesus told His disciples "I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come (John 16:12-13)." Keep in mind that if you can't find an answer right away to your question, just put a mark by it and trust that in time God will reveal the answer to you. This is an eternal journey we are on as Christians. If God revealed everything He knows to us we couldn't handle it. Look at your search for answers as God drawing you closer and closer to Him with every question you ask and every answer He reveals. God Bless you in your discovery of all you have in Him.
A: I am not so certain that these prophecies aren't found earlier in the Old Testament. Matthew 2:23 says, "and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: "He will be called a Nazarene." While it is true that the town of Nazareth is not mentioned in the Old Testament, the use of the town's name means something more than just a geographical location. In John 1:46 Nathanael asks, with disgust, when referring to Jesus "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nazareth was a small town and its inhabitants were not thought of too highly. Therefore, it is widely believed that the use of "Nazarene" in Matthew 2:23 can be a reference to how Jesus would be despised as much as it is a reference to the His hometown. With that thought in mind Old Testament connections arise. One such prophecy can be found in the Psalms. "But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people (Psalm 22:6)." Another, and more well known, passage comes from the book of Isaiah. "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not (Isaiah 53:3)."
Matthew 27:9-10 says, "Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: "They took the thirty silver coins, the price set on him by the people of Israel, and they used them to buy the potter's field, as the Lord commanded me." This passage has Old Testament ties, but they are broken up between different books and authors. It appears to be taken from Zechariah and Jeremiah, but the reference is given to the major prophet Jeremiah. In Zechariah we read, "I told them, "If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it." So they paid me thirty pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12)." In a few places in Jeremiah we can see where part of this prophecy from Matthew 27 originated. In Jeremiah 18, 19 and 32 we have references to "the potter's house," buying "a clay jar from the potter" and purchasing a "field at Ananthoth." There are other times in scripture where Old Testament references from different writers are combined, but the major prophet is given the credit for the prophecy. For example Mark 1:2-3 quotes Malachi and Isaiah, but attributes the quotes to the major prophet Isaiah alone.
In the Gospel of John it says, "His disciples remembered that it is written: "Zeal for your house will consume me (John 2:17)." John is referring directly to a passage from the Psalms in this verse. Psalm 69:9 reads, "for zeal for your house consumes me, and the insults of those who insult you fall on me." Matthew 2:14-15 states, "So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called my son." This passage is a fulfillment of Hosea 11:1, "When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son." Matthew 1:22-23 says, "All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"—which means, "God with us." The prophecy this passage fulfills is found in Isaiah 7:14. There is reads, "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel."
As you can see, the roots of some of these prophecies are easier to discover then others. I would suggest that you keep doing what you are doing by asking questions. However, above all else, get some of your own resources like a concordance, Bible software, different translations and other tools like that. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you into the Word of God because if He teaches you than you have been taught. Don't take my word for it, but test everything up against the Word of God and if we agree then you know the Holy Spirit has taught both of us. Jesus told His disciples "I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come (John 16:12-13)." Keep in mind that if you can't find an answer right away to your question, just put a mark by it and trust that in time God will reveal the answer to you. This is an eternal journey we are on as Christians. If God revealed everything He knows to us we couldn't handle it. Look at your search for answers as God drawing you closer and closer to Him with every question you ask and every answer He reveals. God Bless you in your discovery of all you have in Him.
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